74th Annual
Colorado All State Orchestra
February 5-7, 2026
University Center for the Arts, Fort Collins
2026 Dates
Feb 5-7 2026
Director Information
Colorado All State Orchestra 2026 will be held at Colorado State University on February 5-7. Click below for more information.
Audition Information
Audition Information for the Colorado All State Orchestra 2026 has been posted. Click below for more information.
Event Details
The most up-to-date information regarding the event itself will be on this page including Schedules, Ticket Info, Results, and more. Click below for more information.
Colorado All State Orchestra 2026
Dr. Christopher M. Cicconi is Director of Bands and Professor of Wind Conducting at James Madison University. Conductor of James Madison University School of Music’s premiere concert band, the Wind Symphony, he also teaches courses in undergraduate as well as graduate conducting, wind ensemble literature, advises Masters and Doctoral Conducting students, and provides visionary leadership for as well as oversees the School of Music’s comprehensive band program. Coupled with his duties at James Madison, Dr. Cicconi serves as the Principal Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Music Director of the Warren Philharmonic Orchestra, and a Conductor of the New England Music Camp Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Band.
As a strong advocate for music education and community outreach, Dr. Cicconi is in demand throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and is a sought-after guest conductor, clinician, and professional developer. He has appeared as a band and orchestra clinician in well over 200 public and private institutions and has been awarded, by the Maryland Music Educators Association, both the Outstanding Music Educator and the Corwin Taylor Music Education Leadership Awards and is a past president of the Maryland Band Directors Association. As a guest conductor, Cicconi has appeared with All-State, All-Region, and All-County Bands and Orchestras in numerous states around the country including California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wyoming, as well as the countries of Argentina and China. Finally, Dr. Cicconi frequently serves as a guest conductor for the internationally acclaimed Sewanee Music Festival as well as the United States Naval Academy and has presented clinic sessions at the field’s most prestigious conferences, including the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and the National Association for Music Education Conference.
As an active scholar, Cicconi’s agenda includes wind and orchestral repertoire and other current music education topics such as score study, conducting, and arranging. His most recent publications, ‘The Band Music Handbook, A Catalog of Emerging Band Repertoire,’ and contributions to “Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra” have proved to be valuable resources for instrumental ensemble directors worldwide. As an arranger, Cicconi premiered his transcriptions of Jonathan Leshnoff’s ‘Rush’ and David Maslanka’s ‘Symphony No. 8’ with the Towson University Symphonic Band and Symphony Orchestra respectively, which have been subsequently published by Theodore Presser and Carl Fischer. Since then, they have both received numerous performances nationwide in university and conference settings, including a performance at the college Band Directors National Association Southwest Regional Conference.
Before arriving at James Madison University, Dr. Cicconi served as Director of Bands and Orchestras and Associate Professor of Music Education at Towson University (2015 - 2024). Previous appointments also include Young Victorian Theatre Company (Music Director, 2016 - 2020), Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra (Music Director, 2016 - 2023), Pine Crest School (High School Band Director, 2012 - 2015), Broward Symphony Orchestra (Associate Conductor, 2009 - 2015), Ars Flores Symphony Orchestra (2009 - 20015), Walenstein Youth Symphony (Music Director, 2009 - 2012), and Power Ranch Elementary and Middle School (Middle School Band Director, 2002 - 2009).
Prior to his arrival in Maryland, Dr. Cicconi earned a Doctoral of Musical Arts Degree in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Miami, where he was awarded a Henry Mancini Fellowship and was a student of Mr. Gary D. Green. He completed a Master of Music Education Degree, with an emphasis in Instrumental Conducting from Arizona State University and earned a Bachelor of Music Education Degree (summa cum laude) from Youngstown State University. He is a member of College Band Directors National Association, Florida Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, Pi Kappa Lambda, and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Beta Mu, Phi Mu Alpha, Tau Beta Sigma.
Repertoire:
Huapango by Jose Pablo Moncayo
Of Our New Day Begun by Omar Thomas
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Liszt/Doppler
Brian Balmages is known worldwide as a composer and conductor who equally spans the worlds of orchestral, band, and chamber music. His music has been performed by groups ranging from professional symphony orchestras to elementary schools in venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Sydney Opera House, Toronto Centre for the Arts, and many more. He is a recipient of the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest with his work Love and Light, and was awarded the inaugural James Madison University Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Visual and Performing Arts. In the same year, he was commissioned by his other alma mater, the University of Miami, to compose music for the inauguration of the institution’s 6th president, Dr. Julio Frenk. His music was also performed as part of the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, which was attended by both President Obama and Vice President Biden.
As a conductor, Mr. Balmages enjoys regular engagements with all-state and regional ensembles as well as university and professional groups throughout the world. Notable guest conducting appearances have included the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, Maryborough Music Conference (Australia), College Band Directors Conference, American School Band Directors Association National Conference, numerous state ASTA conferences, Teatro dell’Aquila (Italy), and others. He is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association and has taught instrumental conducting at Towson University where he also served as Assistant Director of Bands and Orchestras. Currently, he is Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.
Repertoire:
Overture to Candide by Leonard Bernstein
Blue Cathedral by Jennifer Higdon
Through Waterless Places by Brian Balmages
All State Orchestra
Merchandise
Merchandise will be available in the months leading up to the event. More information will be available at that point.